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The Jets have to make a change or it could be over for Saleh.
We all knew the Jets season was going to be a dumpster fire as soon as Aaron Rodgers was lost for the year with an Achilles tear, but the ingredients are coming together to make this a much more damaging mess.
Robert Saleh’s team might be 1-2 in the standings, but it’s become increasing apparent that the Jets coach has run out of ideas on how to improve the situation. Now there are reports emerging that his Saleh’s loyalty to Zach Wilson as quarterback is running the risk of losing an already tense locker room. The team’s sad offensive play on the field is matched only by their inability to find answers off of it, with pathetic moves like signing Trevor Siemian doing little to stop the bleeding.
We don’t need to go over what the Jets can do to save the season. It’s done. New York went all-in on Rodgers, and it’s impossible to find a comparable replacement at this point in the season. That doesn’t mean they should just trudge forward without any plans to give fans something to look forward to on Sunday. So let’s evaluate what Saleh and Co. should be doing right now, rather than maintaining this horrific status quo.
Stop with this Zach Wilson madness
Wilson sucks. Sorry to be blunt, but it’s abundantly clear that he is not, nor will he ever be a starting caliber quarterback in the NFL. I strongly disliked Wilson’s film before the 2021 NFL Draft and saw a bust in waiting because almost none of his skills translated to the NFL. I understand the appeal of his arm strength and athletic ability, but Wilson being taken with the No. 2 pick is a lesson in the dangers of chasing Josh Allen’s success just because his arm talent was able to wash away his poor college film.
Continuing to start Wilson and bashing your head into the wall is utterly pointless. He looked moderately comfortable taking over for Rodgers in Week 1, but since then teams have been able to watch tape and prepare for Wilson at QB, and the result is beyond ugly.
30-for-63, 327 yards, 1 TD, 3 INT
Those are Wilson’s stats over the last two weeks, and even his yardage is a scam considering 68 of those passing yards (and the lone touchdown) came on a short pass to Garrett Wilson where he willed success into existence after the catch.
Continuing with this stupidity at QB will demoralize the receiver room, and sends a message to the team that excellence isn’t the goal. I don’t even care if you start Siemian at this point. He won’t be good either, but at least it brings accountability for poor play.
Sign or trade for a real veteran quarterback
A lot of the suggestions for the Jets so far have been half-hearted replacements for Aaron Rodgers. There is no way of finding someone who can turn this into a playoff team, so ideas about Matt Ryan or dealing for Kirk Cousins are pretty pointless.
That said, similar to benching Wilson there are options out there that can show a desire to actually play in 2023. If we look just at QBs who played last season (therefore limiting the amount of potential rust) there’s a small group of decent pickups who aren’t Trevor Siemian.
Carson Wentz
Colt McCoy
Nick Foles
There has to be some new blood in the facility to sent a message. It’s not like any of these guys are proven winners, but there needs to be a scenario where Wilson is pushed to QB3 if he can’t cut it.
RUN THE DAMN BALL
What the hell are we even doing here? I get the Nathanial Hackett was a friend hire for Rodgers, but Saleh is still running the show. Right now his offensive coordinator is killing this team by refusing to operate a decent run-pass balance.
The excuse against Dallas was that the lack of a run game was because the game was already out of hand, so Wilson had to throw to get back into it. Then what was the excuse vs. New England?
This was a one-score game until there were 10 minutes left in the third quarter, yet the team still lacked any cogent run-pass balance. The Jets ultimately ran the ball 22 times and threw 36, with a quarterback who sucked out loud.
The Jets have two STUDS at RB with Breece Hall and Dalvin Cook, but neither can shine with Wilson at QB. There is absolutely no threat of Wilson burning a defense deep, so teams just stack the box to limit Garrett Wilson’s YAC, and stuff any run plays.
If you put in a quarterback who can damage teams downfield it will force defenses to back out of the box and actually give Hall and Cook some running lanes.
You can’t save the season, but you can save your job
There is no going back from losing a locker room. When players lose faith in a coach or his decision making it becomes almost impossible to pull a sinking ship back together. Sure, the changes we’re talking about here are tantamount to rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic, but at least it’s a sign you’re trying.
I think Saleh is too good of a coach to jeopardize his job for the sake of Zach Wilson. He was a horrible bust at quarterback, and it’s a shame. Wilson won’t be the first bad draft pick, or the last — but Saleh is legitimately a brilliant defensive mind with a bright future in the NFL.
Just make the switch already, please. Give Jets fans something to be excited about each week other than the status quo.
